Eun Young froze on the spot. He... He asked her to stay. The unexpected response echoed in her mind. And for a moment, she thought she was just hallucinating. Had she gone mad already? He couldn't have said that himself, could he?
Eun Young was now unsure whether she would leave or not. What if she simply misheard him? She would be making a fool out of herself if she acted recklessly. Eun Young remained rooted to where she was standing as she carefully thought about what to do next. After finally deciding to ask, she mustered up her courage before she purposely looked at him for the first time tonight.
"Are you sure?" Eun Young asked in a low voice but enough for him to hear.
Min Jae pressed his lips and slowly nodded. It's not as if this were the first time they were sleeping together anyway. Also, he desperately wanted answers to his questions. His confusion troubled him and he thought that maybe... maybe staying with her could enlighten him a little. Maybe staying with her would help him collect his thoughts and emotions.
Eun Young sluggishly returned to bed as she processed everything. Min Jae was acting peculiar today. She couldn't tell why but this unfamiliar vibe was making her feel hopeful and at the same time, cautious. What if this was all just a dream after all?
She was drawn away from her thoughts when Min Jae broke suddenly the silence. "Why weren't you asleep yet?" He casually asked as he went to his side of the bed.
"I couldn't sleep." She simply replied. Min Jae noticed the empty glass on her bedside table. From the looks of, it seemed like the glass contained milk. She must've prepared it herself to help her doze off. Unfortunately, it wasn't completely effective.
Eun Young tucked herself beneath the duvet and faced the direction opposite to him. It's how they'd always been. They slept together but they were on their own sides of the bed, neither facing each other. It was huge enough to leave a gap between them. And so, they didn't really have an excuse to be close to one another. That one sour morning only came to be an unexpected occurrence.
Min Jae could only remain silent as she turned away from him. He lied down wordlessly before turning off the lamp on his bedside table. However, the other side of the room was still illuminated by Eun Young's lamp. Hesitantly, he glanced at her direction.
Eun Young peacefully lied on her side as she breathed rythmically. With her back facing him, he couldn't exactly tell if she's still awake or if she was already asleep. The room was awfully quiet.
"Eun Young?" He blurted through the silence without thinking. He was unsure whether he would receive a reply or not. Nonetheless, it was too late to take it back anymore. Sh**!
"Hmm?" She muttered.
Surprised that she even heard him, Min Jae racked his mind for a response. Should he ask her what's on her mind? Should he ask her why she couldn't sleep? He frustratedly squinted at the questions he thought of. F***! What the hell?
In the end, he spoke impassively. "Your lamp."
After a few seconds, Eun Young reached out to turn off her lamp and the room instantly became pitch black.
---
The next morning, Eun Young happily prepared breakfast for her two kids. The children ate with much vigor. After all, who wouldn't love mom's cooking?
Eun Young sat beside her little toddler Hye Soo. The little one always needed assistance when it comes to eating because she always makes a mess of the food. From time to time, she would wipe away remnants of food from Hye Soo's chubby cheeks. The little one would then heartily laugh as a response to her mother's ticklish touch.
"Mommy." Jung Hyun called. "Many of my classmates are getting sick. Will they get better soon? I miss playing with them!" He frowned.
Eun Young swallowed first before addressing his question. "Of course, honey. As long as they take good care of themselves, they will definitely get better in no time!" She beamed in response to encourage the little guy.
Because of the cool climate and the continuous decreasing of temperature, some of little Jung Hyun's classmates acquired the common cold. They were advised to take a few medications and to stay home for them to quickly recover. As a result, they were absent from school and the little one couldn't help but feel concerned for his peers.
Eun Young sighed. It was a relief that she had provided Jung Hyun and Hye Soo with complete vaccines in advance. Else, they would've gotten sick too. Of course, as their personal doctor, their health was Eun Young's responsibility.
The trio enjoyed breakfast together. However, in the midst of chatting, Min Jae entered the dining area to say goodbye to the kids. He was all ready for work. It was still a bit early but nonetheless, he was already prepared to leave.
"Daddy!" Little Jung Hyun cried as he saw Min Jae. Seeing that his father was about to leave again soon, he frowned.
Min Jae approached his children and he each gave them a kiss on their forheads. "Hey, buddy! I heard you're doing well in school lately." He said to little Jung Hyun as he tousled his hair. "Would you like me to get something for you when I come back?" Min Jae asked.
Little Jung Hyun thought about it for a while. But then, the disadvantage was that he already had all the toys he wanted. How could he possibly ask for more?
As Min Jae waited for the little one's response, Eun Young had already placed another set of dining wares for him. "Min Jae." Eun Young called. "Why don't you have breakfast first before you leave?" She offered with a gentle smile.
Min Jae glanced at her direction. At the same time, little Jung Hyun's eyes glowed. He finally thought of the reward he wanted his father to give him! "Yes daddy! Eat with us! Mommy really cooks delicious food!" The little one cheered enthusiastically.
Min Jae was taken aback. He didn't really mean to stay for long. And so, he did his best to decline without hurting his son's feelings. "I'm sorry, but I can't." Min Jae said. "I'm still a bit full actually."
However, as if on cue, his stomach growled loudly in protest. Eun Young and little Jung Hyun was shocked as they stared at him wide-eyed. Min Jae was full alright...
Breaking the silence, little Hye Soo bursted out laughing. Suddenly, everyone joined in too. "Daddy, you're lying!" Little Jung Hyun pointed out in between laughs.
Min Jae felt embarrassed when his son caught him. He cursed internally. His children were laughing at him and even Eun Young couldn't help but stifle a laugh. His ears reddened.
"Well... we still have room for one more hungry fella. Right kids?" Eun Young amusedly announced.